The latest personal finance news, analysis and insights, covering retirement, how to manage your savings, tax guidance and more. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/ en-us Copyright © Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:18:55 GMT https://www.wsj.com/img/wsj_sm_logo.gif https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/ WP-WSJ-0003693224 Student loans are following more Americans into what were supposed to be their retirement years. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/student-loan-debt-retirement-865978d2 Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Oyin Adedoyin Brian W. Fraser for WSJ WP-WSJ-0003693145 A tax break for investing in small businesses is being multiplied by two, three, four or even more times through the use of trusts. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/taxes/silicon-valley-is-obsessed-with-trust-stacking-and-the-irs-doesnt-like-it-a542519b Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT Ashlea Ebeling Peter Santilli Richard Rubin Uncredited WP-WSJ-0003584100 The amount of money spent can rival a house purchase or college tuition. It’s crucial for couples to figure out the financial equation ahead of time. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/fertility-treatment-costs-planning-976703b7 Sun, 28 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT Julia Carpenter Anna Parini for WSJ WP-WSJ-0003514431 Things look bleak for would-be retirees, especially the youngest workers. But policymakers are starting to pay attention. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/retirement/us-retirement-policy-c096c078 Sat, 27 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT Glenn Ruffenach Zohar Lazar for WSJ WP-WSJ-0003679250 Plus, a future without dementia, a captivating World Cup and an alternative to the 4% rule https://www.wsj.com/articles/its-getting-too-expensive-to-have-fun-1ef87409 Sat, 27 Jun 2026 11:50:00 GMT Cristina Lourosa-Ricardo Mike Lawrence/NBAE via Getty Images WP-WSJ-0003682371 U.S. homeowners pay $65 billion a year in avoidable costs, and the highest earners often pay the steepest price, new research finds. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/why-youre-probably-overpaying-for-your-mortgage-0f5a5cfa Fri, 26 Jun 2026 13:32:00 GMT Veronica Dagher Uncredited WP-WSJ-0003671784 The “kiddie tax” can be a trap for parents and grandparents making gifts, and it applies to a range of unearned income and to children as old as 23. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/taxes/being-generous-to-your-kids-dont-stick-them-with-a-surprise-tax-bill-6f442459 Fri, 19 Jun 2026 09:30:00 GMT Laura Saunders Kiersten Essenpreis for WSJ WP-WSJ-0003653261 Tax-planning strategies include buying dream vacation homes and increasing philanthropy. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/taxes/rich-californians-are-finding-creative-ways-to-get-ahead-of-the-billionaire-tax-57afa458 Sun, 14 Jun 2026 01:00:00 GMT Juliet Chung Alexandra Citrin-Safadi/WSJ; iStock WP-WSJ-0003616149 The rules for charitable tax breaks depend on getting details right for smaller and larger donations. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/taxes/how-to-avoid-the-tiny-blunder-that-cost-two-donors-a-665-000-tax-deduction-ab5aa643 Fri, 29 May 2026 09:30:00 GMT Laura Saunders Kiersten Essenpreis for WSJ WP-WSJ-0003579951 Millions of Americans could be owed billions of dollars in tax refunds of Covid-era interest and penalties. Filing a claim with the IRS by the July 10 deadline is the first step. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/taxes/the-clock-is-ticking-on-your-chance-to-cash-in-on-a-covid-era-tax-loophole-e33ed9d0 Fri, 15 May 2026 09:30:00 GMT Laura Saunders Kiersten Essenpreis for WSJ WP-WSJ-0003503469 Act soon to maximize benefits or minimize hits from last year’s tax changes, especially for charitable deductions, 529 accounts and withholding. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/taxes/2026-tax-what-to-know-138dad06 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:30:00 GMT Laura Saunders Kiersten Essenpreis for WSJ WP-WSJ-0003689675 Ending up with the right amount of money is less about the stock market and more about you. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/retirement/how-to-build-a-retirement-that-actually-fits-your-life-d9fddd09 Fri, 26 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT Jason Zweig Alex Nabaum for WSJ WP-WSJ-0003515516 If you withdraw a certain percentage of your assets based on life expectancy, plus some tweaks, you can avoid some of the drawbacks. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/retirement/retirement-planning-4-percent-rule-d5ba3a0b Tue, 23 Jun 2026 09:30:00 GMT Peter Coy John W. Tomac for WSJ WP-WSJ-0003656848 The rule of 55 allows former employees to access their 401(k) savings penalty-free before the typical threshold of 59½. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/retirement/the-retirement-tax-break-that-most-people-overlook-260c0b9a Sun, 14 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Anne Tergesen Allie Leepson + Jesse McClary for WSJ WP-WSJ-0003647214 The second-largest target-date fund provider plans a new offering with an annuity inside it. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/retirement/fidelity-bets-people-want-their-401-k-s-to-look-more-like-pensions-da8678f7 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:45:00 GMT Anne Tergesen Corrie Aune for WSJ WP-WSJ-0003613694 A younger generation embraces the benefits of tax-free investment growth. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/retirement/gen-z-retirement-roth-ira-52d44204 Thu, 28 May 2026 15:00:00 GMT Anne Tergesen Uncredited WP-WSJ-0003609050 Soaring interest rates and stubborn inflation have led to the highest delinquencies since the financial crisis. More families are shifting to “a pattern of survival debt.” https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/credit/us-credit-card-debt-af5c7c77 Fri, 29 May 2026 21:43:00 GMT Dan Frosch Alexandra Citrin-Safadi/WSJ WP-WSJ-0003557298 Young people in particular have powered a rise in the number of Americans with credit scores over 780. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/credit/the-super-prime-credit-score-club-is-growing-rapidly-a01de5ca Wed, 06 May 2026 15:45:00 GMT Oyin Adedoyin Getty Images WP-WSJ-0003331438 The ebbs and flows of a score can be confusing, so accepting and understanding them is key. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/credit/credit-score-young-adults-220d3893 Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:10:00 GMT Julia Carpenter Zara Picken for WSJ WP-WSJ-0003249209 The president’s proposed limit could intensify competition for premium-card holders. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/credit/how-trumps-cap-on-credit-card-rates-would-reshape-the-rewards-world-c662002e Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:00:00 GMT Imani Moise David Paul Morris/Bloomberg News WP-WSJ-0003243557 President Trump’s call for a cap promises to save Americans billions in interest but also can lead to tightened access to credit. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/credit/what-a-10-credit-card-rate-cap-would-mean-for-your-wallet-365f2f8d Mon, 12 Jan 2026 13:40:00 GMT Veronica Dagher Nam Y. Huh/AP WP-WSJ-0003434326 Twenty-somethings are drinking less, exercising more—and changing the way they socialize with others. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/savings/gen-z-exercise-f33af2da Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMT Oyin Adedoyin Maya Nguyen for WSJ WP-WSJ-0003192947 We all say we want to save more and spend less. The key is to think more broadly. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/savings/financial-discipline-new-years-resolution-e0e636d2 Tue, 30 Dec 2025 18:00:00 GMT Annabelle Williams Eliot Wyatt for WSJ WP-WSJ-0003005225 Will West wants to get a master’s degree and then own a house within 10 years. A financial adviser weighs in. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/savings/college-full-time-work-savings-goals-0f7c96f4 Tue, 14 Oct 2025 16:00:00 GMT Lisa Ward Will West WP-WSJ-0002271468 I keep a tight rein on my spending throughout the year. But for my birthday, I focus on what I want, not just what I need. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/savings/budget-tips-how-to-splurge-special-occasions-c7d1b207 Sat, 04 Jan 2025 13:00:00 GMT Cordilia James Kanitharin Thailamtong WP-WSJ-0002285267 A four-part podcast series that answers listeners’ questions about achieving their financial goals for 2025. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/savings/money-moves-for-the-new-year-setting-and-keeping-your-personal-finance-goals-5ed1d3a2 Fri, 27 Dec 2024 08:21:00 GMT Uncredited WP-WSJ-0003098169 A mortgage this long would reduce a home buyer’s monthly payments, but the interest owed would be much higher. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/mortgages/will-a-50-year-mortgage-make-homes-more-affordable-heres-how-it-would-work-9f9a1b2e Mon, 10 Nov 2025 20:14:00 GMT Rebecca Picciotto Nicole Friedman Angela Owens/WSJ WP-WSJ-0002906912 With the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate at a 10-month low, homeowners with high-rate mortgages are starting to get excited about refinancing https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/mortgages/mortgage-refinancing-starts-to-thaw-as-rates-trend-down-25ad4ae7 Sun, 31 Aug 2025 01:00:00 GMT Ben Eisen Veronica Dagher Zak Bennett/Bloomberg News WP-WSJ-0002327714 Borrowers are still on the hook but might be able to pause payments. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/mortgages/los-angeles-fires-burned-homes-mortgage-payments-a5b7d5bb Thu, 16 Jan 2025 19:08:00 GMT Gina Heeb Ben Eisen Stuart Palley WP-WSJ-0002082648 Rents remain high, but not as high as mortgage payments. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/mortgages/rent-or-buy-how-falling-mortgage-rates-change-the-math-2b4e9ddf Sun, 29 Sep 2024 01:00:00 GMT Veronica Dagher iStock WP-WSJ-0002058855 Millions can potentially save money by refinancing, but many are waiting for rates to drop further. https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/mortgages/refinance-mortgage-fed-interest-rate-cut-d157d9fc Thu, 19 Sep 2024 16:37:00 GMT Veronica Dagher Parker Eshelman/WSJ, iStock